If you're excited about Google's next mid-range handset (which has been making headlines for several months already despite likely coming out no sooner than the spring of 2026), America's top wireless service provider and the internet's most prolific mobile tech leaker may severely reduce that excitement today.
The always resourceful and (almost) always reliable Evan Blass (aka @evleaks) has managed to get his hands on a Verizon certification document for the presumably still-distant Pixel 10a, and while those kinds of things usually don't include a lot of juicy data, this one seems to reveal multiple (unexciting) specifications.
This is not the Pixel 9a spec sheet
6.285-inch AMOLED screen with FHD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate capabilities;
Primary 48MP rear-facing camera with f/1.7 aperture;
Secondary 13MP ultra-wide-angle lens with f/2.2 aperture;
Single 13MP front-facing camera with f/2.2 aperture;
128GB internal storage space;
8GB RAM;
5,100mAh battery.
Well, technically, it is the Pixel 9a spec sheet, but it's apparently also the Pixel 10a's list of core features. That's right, as disappointing as it may sound, it seems that Google will not change anything about the screen size, resolution, refresh rate technology, cameras, storage, memory, or battery capacity of its 6.3-inch mid-ranger from this year for its 2026 sequel.
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Of course, these details are not official yet, and because they're identical to what the Pixel 9a already offers, there's a chance they were copied from the existing budget-friendly device to throw us off the Pixel 10a's real scent.
It's also possible that Verizon intentionally listed just the specs Google doesn't plan to revise or improve in any way, leaving out things like charging speeds, screen brightness levels, and the processor of the company's next big non-flagship that could all still be upgraded.
Are you looking forward to the Pixel 10a?
Not with these repetitive specs
100%
Yes, but I'd like Google to upgrade... something
0%
Yes, but only if the phone is cheaper than the 9a
0%
No, and a few tweaked specs will not change that
0%
But even if that happens, one has to wonder if the Pixel 10a will be different enough from its predecessor to catch on, especially after said predecessor enhanced the Pixel 8a's display size, bumped up the battery capacity and charging speeds, also changing the rear-facing camera system for the best.
Will the Pixel 10a look exactly like the 9a?
That's been the rumor and my personal fear since July, and obviously, a totally unchanged spec sheet would line up perfectly with an unaltered design, making it super-hard for me to recommend the Pixel 10a as a smart 2026 purchase.
On the bright side (pun intended), Google is expected to increase the display brightness from an advertised 1,800 nits and an actual 2,700 nits to 2,000 and around 3,000 nits respectively, which is definitely... something, and it should help the Pixel 10a offer significantly better visibility in difficult lighting conditions (for instance, in outdoor environments).
This is the Pixel 9a, but it could easily be the Pixel 10a as well. | Image Credit -- PhoneArena
While you might also expect Big G to make a standard jump in processing power from a Tensor G4 to a G5, the Pixel 10a is somewhat inexplicably rumored to stick with the 9a's unquestionably outdated G4 chipset. Now that could be the final nail in this phone's coffin, as it would become practically impossible for anyone to justify its existence.
So should you be (the least bit) excited about the Pixel 10a?
It doesn't sound like it, I'm afraid, but perhaps we're missing something that will end up making this one of the best budget 5G phones of 2026. Oh, I know, maybe Google is thinking about pricing the Pixel 10a lower than the 9a.
Just imagine those admittedly unremarkable specs listed above at a starting price of around $400 instead of $500 in the US. Am I dreaming an impossible dream? Maybe, but I don't see how else a rehashed Pixel 9a could possibly make sense.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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